"Pet. What, with my tongue in your tail? nay,

66 come again,"

Good Kate; I am a gentleman..
Cat. That I'll try.

[Striking him.

Pet. I fwear, I'll cuff you, if you ftrike again. "Cat. So may you lose your arms: if you ftrike me, "You are no gentleman; and if no gentleman, "Why, then no arms.

"Pet. A herald, Kate? O, put

"Me in thy books.

"Cat. What is your creft? a coxcomb?

Pet. A comblefs cock, fo Kate will be my hen. "Cat. No cock of mine, you crow too like a craven. "Pet. Nay, come, Kate, come; you must not look "fo four.

"Cat. It is my fashion, when I fee a crab.

"Pet. Why, here's no crab; and therefore look not

"four,

"Cat. There is, there is.

"Pet. Then fhew it me.

"Cat. Had I a glass, I would.

"Pet. What, you mean my face.

"Cat. Well aim'd of such a young one.

"Pet. Now, by faint George, I am too young for you. "Cat. Yet you are wither'd.

"Pet. 'Tis with cares.

"Cat. I care not.

Pet. Nay, hear you, Kate: in footh, you 'fcape not fo.
Cat. I chafe you, if I tarry; let me go.

Pet. No, not a whit; I find you paffing gentle.
'Twas told me, you were rough, and coy, and fullen,
And now I find report a very liar ;

For thou art pleafant, gamefome, paffing courteous,
But flow in fpeech, yet sweet as fpring-time flowers :
Thou canst not frown, thou canst not look askance,
Nor bite the lip, as angry wenches will;

* This converfation, though very spirited, is much too long; befides, fome of the lines marked for omiffion are unpardonably indecent.

Nor

Nor haft thou pleasure to be cross in talk;
But thou with mildness entertain'ft thy wooers,
With gentle conference, soft, and affable.
Why does the world report, that Kate doth limp?
O fland'rous world! Kate like the hazle twig
Is ftraight, and flender; and as brown in hue
As hazle nuts, and fweeter than the kernels.
O, let me fee thee walk: thou doft not halt *.
Cat. Go, fool, and whom thou keep'ft command.
Pet. Did ever Dian fo become a grove,
As Kate this chamber with her princely gait ?
O, be thou Dian, and let her be Kate;
And then let Kate he chaft, and Dian Sportful.
Cat, Where did you ftudy all this goodly speech?
Pet. It is extempore from my mother-wit.
Cat. A witty mother! witnefs elfe her fon.
Pet. Am I not wife?

Cat. Yes; keep you warm.

Pet. Marry, fo I mean, fweet Catherine, in thy bed: And therefore, fetting all this chat aside,

Thus in plain terms;-Your father hath confented,
That you fhall be my wife; your dowry 'greed on;
And will you, nill you, I will marry you.
Now, Kate, I am a husband for your turn;
For, by this light,-whereby I fee thy beauty;
Thy beauty, that doth make me like thee well,-
Thou must be marry'd to no man but me:
For I am he am born to tame you, Kate;
And bring you from a wild Kate to a Kate
Conformable, as other houshold Kates.

Re-enter Baptifta, Gremio, and Tranio.
Here comes your father; never make denial,
I must and will have Catherine to my wife.
Bap. Now, fignior Petruchio, how speed
You with my daughter?

Pet. How but well, fir? how but well?
It were impoffible, I should speed amifs.

This is a very mafterly fpeech, as the pleafant ironical ideas it

contains are judiciously, and by no means rudely, thrown out.

Bap. Why, how now, daughter Catherine? in your dumps ?

Cat. Call you me-daughter? now I promife you, You have thew'd a tender fatherly regard,

To wish me wed to one half lunatick ;

A mad-cap ruffian, and a swearing Jack,
That thinks with oaths to face the matter out.

Pet. Father, 'tis thus,-yourself and all the world,
That talk'd of her, have talk'd amifs of her ;
If the be curft, it is for policy:

For fhe's not froward, but modeft as the dove;
She is not hot, but temperate as the morn;
For patience the will prove a fecond Grizelde,
And Roman Lucrece for her chastity:

And to conclude,-we have 'greed fo well together,.
That upon Sunday is the wedding-day.

Cat. I'll fee thee hang'd o'Sunday first.

Gre. Hark, Petruchio!

She fays, he'll fee thee hang'd o'Sunday first.

Tra. Is this your fpeeding? nay, then, good night

our part.

Pet. Be patient, gentlemen; I choose her for myself; If the and I be pleas'd, what's that to you?

"Tis bargain'd 'twixt us twain, being alone, That the fhall ftill be curft in company.

I tell you, 'tis incredible to believe

How much he loves me: O, the kindest Kate!
She hung about my neck; and kifs on kiss
She vy'd fo faft, protesting oath on oath,
That in a twink he won me to her love.
O, you are novices! 'tis a world to fee,
How tame, when men and women are alone,
A meacock wretch can make the curfteft fhrew.-
Give me thy hand, Kate; Fwill unto Venice,
To buy apparel 'gainst the wedding-day :·
Provide the feaft, father, and bid the guests;
I will be fure, my Catherine fhall be fine.

Bap. I know not what to say: but give me your hands; God fend you joy, Petruchio! 'tis a match.

Gre. Tra. Amen, fay we; we will be witneffes..

Pet. Father, and wife, and gentlemen, adieu;.

I will to Venice, Sunday comes apace :-
We will have rings, and things, and fine array';
And kiss me, Kate, we will be marry'd o’Sunday

[Exeunt Cat. and Pet. Gre. Was ever match clapt up fo fuddenly? "Bap. 'Faith, gentlemen, now I play a merchant's part,

"And venture madly on a defperate mart.

Tra. 'Twas a commodity lay fretting by you;
"Twill bring you gain, or perish on the feas.
"Bap. The gain I feek is quiet in the match.
"Gre. No doubt, but he hath got a quiet catch.
But now; Baptifta, to your younger daughter ;-
Now is the day we long have looked for ;
I am your neighbour, and was fuitor first.

Tra. And I am one, that love Bianca more
Than words can witnefs, or your thoughts can guess.
Gre. Youngling, thou canst not love fo dear as I.
Tra. Grey-beard, thy love doth freeze.

"Gre. But thine doth fry.

Skipper, ftand back; 'tis age, that nourisheth. "Tra. But youth, in ladies' eyes that flourisheth. Bap. Content you, gentlemen; I will compound this

trife:

'Tis deeds, muft win the prize; and he, of both,
That can affure my daughter greatest dower,
Shall have Bianca's love.-And, first, to you ;
Say, fignior Gremio, what can you affure her †?

Gre. First, as you know, my houfe within the city Is richly furnished with plate and gold;

Bafons, and ewers, to lave her dainty hands;
My hangings all of Tyrian tapestry :

In ivory coffers I have stuff'd my crowns ;

Through the whole fcene, Petruchio is drawn in a very mafterly and original ftile of humour; he requires great and outrè comic talents to keep pace in reprefentation with the author; genteel extravagance of deportment, and arch infolence of features, are the chief external merit.

+ Baptifta here fhews himself, as too many fathers in private life have done, of a mean felfish defpotic temper; his daughter muft fubmit according to his idea, where fortune beckons.

In cypress chefts my arras counteṛpanes,
Coftly apparel, tents, and canopies,
Fine linen, Turky cushions boft with pearl,
Valance of Venice gold in needle-work,
Pewter, and brass, and all things that belong
To house, or houfe-keeping: then, at my farm,
I have a hundred milch-kine to the pail,
Six-fcore fat oxen ftanding in my stalls,
And all things anfwerable to this portion.
Myfelf am ftrook in years, I must confefs;
And, if I die to-morrow, this is hers,
If, whilst I live, fhe will be only mine.

Tra. That, only, came well in.-Sir, lift to me;
I am my father's heir, and only fon :
If I may have your daughter to my wife,
I'll leave her houses three or four as good,
Within rich Pisa walls, as any one
Old fignior Gremio has in Padua ;

Befides two thousand ducats by the year

Of fruitful land, all which fhall be her jointure.— "What, have I pinch'd you, fignior Gremio?

"Gre. Two thousand ducats by the year of land!— "My land amounts but to fo much in all, "That fhe fhall have; befides an argofy, "That now is lying in Marseilles' road :"What, have I choak'd you with an argofy?

"Tra. Gremio, 'tis known, my father hath no less "Than three great argofies; befides two galliaffes, "And twelve tight gallies these I will affure her, "And twice as much, whate'er thou offer'st next. "Gre. Nay, I have offer'd all, I have no more; "And the can have no more than all I have :"If you like me, fhe fhall have me and mine. "Tra. Why, then the maid is mine from all the world, "By your firm promise; Gremio is out-vy'd.

Bap. I must confefs, your offer is the best; And, let your father make her the affurance, She is your own; elfe, you must pardon me: If you should die before him, where's her dower? Tra. That's but a cavil; he is old, I young. Gre. And may not young men die, as well as old ?